Machine



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

r A. G. LYNE.

FENCE MAKING MACHINE.

Patented June 10, 1884,

Tlllllllll'l'! WITNESSES fivfl LA QQW (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A. 'G. LYNE.

FENCE MAKING MACHINE.

mm atented June 10, 1884.

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(NoMbdeL) 4 Sheets- Sheet 4. A. G. LYNE.

FENCE MAKING MACHINE.

WITNESSES INVEN'IOR.

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Ilwrren STATES PATENT Carton.

ALPHEUS G. LYNE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FENCE-MAKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 300,094, dated June 10, 1884. Application filed December 18, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALPHEUS G. LYNE, of \Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Making Combined Wire and Picket Fences, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to machines for twisting two-strand cables of wire about fencepickets to form a web of combined wire and picket fence, which can be wound upon spools convenient for shipment, and, when unwound, can be rapidly stretched and secured to posts set in the ground.

Heretofore machines for making such a fence have been provided with rotary or oscillatory twisting devices, in each of which the two strands of a cable are separately secured, and the pickets are fed in endwise between the strands as the intermittent action of twisting the latter proceeds. The object of my invention is to provide a machine, to be driven either by hand or power, in which the pickets may be 'fed in between the strands laterally instead of endwise, with a View to securing a convenient and rapid working of the machine by one man, and at the same time to produce a fence in which the wires shall be tightly twisted about the pickets so that they cannot readily become displaced or the pickets be withdrawn. This machine, while being adapted for making any kind of fence of the class above described, has particular reference to the manufacture of a fence for which I have made application for Letters Patent, No. 106,913, filed September 20, 1883, in which differently-shaped pickets are arranged in alternate order, to prevent them from being displaced in the wires from any cause, and thus to adapt the fence for turning all kinds of stock, especially hogs and cattle.

In carrying my invention into effect I provide a series of rotary or oscillatory twisters, in each of which one of the strands of a cable is secured, while the other strand is carried by a rocking or movable frame, which is adapted to place the strand in the proper twister, to be twisted together with the first named, and to remove it therefrom after the operation of twisting, to allow a picket to be fed in between the strands preparatory to the next act of twisting. One-half of the strands of the several cables are thus parted from the twisters simultaneously, and are likewise returned to the same, sufficient time being given for placing a picket in the machinein the meanin that the picket can be placed close up in the crotehes against the twisted portion of the cables, causing the strands, when bent about the picket, to clasp it snugly on all sides, and thus preventing gaps in the wires, in which the picket may become loose. feature of my invention is the means employed for winding the completed web on the spool as it comes from the loom. For this purpose I employ a weight which is connected to a pivot-ed lever carrying a pawl for operating the spool-shaft by means of a ratchet-wheel secured to the shaft. The lever is connected to the rocking frame above mentioned, by which it is repeatedly lifted to a position for allowing the weight to act upon the spooling mechanism, whenever the web of the fence becomes slack by its increase of length. In

this manner the winding of the fence on the spool, instead of being controlled by a calcu-' lated movement, which is difficult of proper adjustment, is made solely dependent upon the growth of the web, so that the latter is wound with a uniform tension which is not affected by the gradual increase of the diameter of the spool, and which contributes to the perfect working of the loom.

Having thus indicated the leading features of my invention, Iwill now proceed to describe the several parts in detail, and will afterward point out more particularlyin the claims what I consider to be new in view of the state of the art.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of the fence-machine as adapted to be worked by hand. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section of the same on line m av of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine as adapted to be run by power. Fig. 4c isa perspective view of the same. Fig. 5 is a detail view of part of the fence-spooling mechanism. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the twisters and their supports. Fig. 7 is an inverted plan view of Another important the picket-holding slide as adapted for the I the end of each arm at one side thereof, and

hand-machine. Fig. 8 is the fence-spooling shaft, showing the means for attaching the web thereto, the same consisting of two socket-pieees, one of which is shown as partly broken away and the other as removed from the shaft. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of part of the machine, showing the picket-feeding device. Fig. 10 is a partial front view of the said device, and Fig. 11 is a detached view of one of the tensioning devices.

. of a cable, and at an opposite point in the pa riphery of the same,and parallel with the perforation, is a groove, H, which registers with one of the spaces between the teeth of the wheel F, for receiving the other strand of the cable. The bearings of the twisters are so constructed that a vertical V-shaped or bevel slot, I, shall be formed between the ends of the box-caps J, with which the groove H will register when the twister is properly adjusted,

to allow the removable strand to be passed in and out of engagement with the twister. The several twisters may be geared directly together, as shown in Fig. 1, or they may be connected together. by intermediate gearwheels, K, supported on shafts L, having collars M at their inner ends, as shown in Figs. 3 and at.

A spool, N, of wire is mounted upon a shaft, 0, supported in brackets 1?, attached to the side of each wheel F, in position for allowing the wire on the spool to be readily drawn through the perforation G to the rear of the machine; and each spool is provided with a tensioning device, Q,consisting of a lug which is to be attached to the wheel F at one side of the perforation G, and a clamping-plate ar ranged on the opposite side of the perforation, and connected to the said lug by setscrews, as shown in Fig. 11. In Fig. 4 I have shown a fiat spring, q, adapted to bear against one end of the spool as a tensioning device, and various other well-known expedients may be used.

In the side beams, S T, of the frame-work is supported the movable frame U, which is adapted to rock on trunnions V, j ournaled in boxes W. This frame U is provided with a series of arms, X, having slots in their ends, and corresponding innumber and position with the twisters G. On this frame are supported spools, Y, of wire, from which the wires are drawn off through slots Z in the ends of the said arms to the rear of the machine. These-arms are provided with tensioning devices A", consisting of a block cut out from provided with a screw by which it is clamped to the arm to bind the wire in the slot Z, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Instead of these, flat springs q, bearing against one end of the spools, as shown in Fig. 4, or any other suitable device may be used. The arms X are of such shape and length that when the frame U is moved down to the position shown in Fig.2 their ends will be in alignment with the axes of the twisters, and the wires on the spools Y will be placed in the grooves in the twisters and held in a position to allow thelatt-er to rotate with out disarranging the wires in the arms. The trunnions V are to be so located with respect to the twisters that the are described by the end of any arm X shall, as nearly as possible, coincide with an imaginary arc whose radius is represented by that part of the removable wire carried by said arm, which is comprehended between the end of the arm and the last twist of the wire, so that the several removable wires shall be held taut to facilitate their proper entrance into the grooves of the twisters.

\Vhile preferring a rocking carrier for the removable wires, I may use any movable device adapted to place the wires in and out of engagement with the twisters; and, instead of supporting the spools Y on the rocking carrier, they may be supported on a stationary supplemental frame, with their wires arranged in engagement with the carrier-arms.

When the rocking frame U is raised to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, a picket, B, is to be passed laterally over the twisters and placed upon the supports 0 behind the fingers of the slide D. The frame U is then to be moved down to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, placing the re movable wires in the twisters, which latter are then to be rotated by suitable mechanism to twist the wires about the picket. By means of mechanism yet to be explained, the slide D is to be moved back from the twisters to press the picket back as the rocking frame descends, and to hold it firmly in the crotches of the wires during the act of twisting. As the web '13 increases in length it will be wound automatically upon the spooling-shaft F,in the manner hereinafter described.

In the drawings I have shown the machine adapted to be run either by hand or power. It is obvious that various arrangements of wellknown expedients might be employed for operating the twisters, according as an oscillatory or a rotary movement in one direction is desired. As the twisters require a practically exact movement to cause the grooves H to register with the slots I at the end of their movement, it is important that there shall be as little lostmotion as possible between them, and that a suitable stop-motion shall be employed.

In thehand-machine which isillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown five twisters geared directly together, and a hand-wheel,

. the twisters.

A supported underneath the twisters and geared with the central one of the train. It is obvious that where-the twisters are geared directly with each other; the grooves H in the series will not all have exactly the same relative position; but this slight deviation is practically unimportant in the working of .the machine. The wheel A is designed to be of such relative size that one revolution thereof will produce the required number of revolutions in the twisters for forming a twist in the ca bles, and it is provided with a stop consisting of a lug, B attached to the side of the wheel, and a pin, Ci, set in the front beam of the frame-work. With this construction the wheel is to be turned by hand, first in one direction and thenin the other, until the lug strikes the pin. The wheel should be provided with one or two extra teeth, according to the thickness of the lug and pin,to compensate for the space taken up in its periphery by said stop.

The wheel A may be provided with counter-weights, or with atreadle; and instead of the wheel a toothed segment, sprocket-chain, or rack-bar may be used, the said devices to be arranged underneath thetwisters in an obvious manner, and operated by any suitable means. A rack-bar might .be arranged in a vertical position atone end or the train and operated by a treadle.

In the power-machine illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, to secure a stop-motion for the twisters where the driving-shaft has a continuous motion in one direction, I employ a mutilated gear, which a corresponding gear is adapted to lock once in every revolution thereof. This mutilated gear, (shown at A,) which should be of such a diameter that one revolution the'reof will communicate the proper number of revolutions to the twisters to form a suitable twist in the cables, is mounted upon the outer end of a shaft,B, journaled in the beams 13 G, and its motion is communicated to the twisters by the following convenient system of gears: A gearwheel, D,is mounted on the inner end of shaft B, and meshes with a pinion, E, preferably onethird the diameter thereof, mounted on the inner end of ashaft, F, arranged parallelwith shaft B,and having on its outer end a gear-wheel, G, which is of the same diameter as the twisters, and meshes with one of the same. \Vith this construction, one revolution of wheel A will make three revolutions of The gear-wheel H, which looks the mutilated gear A, is of awell-known de scription, having a portion, 1, of its periphery formed without teeth, while the remaining portion is provided with the same number of teeth as the wheel A contains. The teeth in wheel H will thus cause one revolution of wheel A, whereupon the portion 1' of its periphery will be turned into the space J of the mutilated gear, and fitting closelyin the same between the ends of the series of teeth will prevent the said gear from turning farther until the portion 1 has passed and the teeth of the two wheels again mesh with each other.

To insure the proper meshing of said teeth at the start, the wheel H is provided with a lug, K, which is adapted to strike a pin, L, on the side of wheel A, to advance the latter to a position in which its first tooth will be engaged by the first tooth of wheel A.

I prefer to form the wheel H of such a rela-- tive diameter that its portion 1 shall occupy one-half its periphery, and provide the inner end of its shaft M, which is journaled in the beams B G, with a mutilated bevel-gear, P, the

toothed portion of which, occupying one-half of its periphery, shall correspond in position with the portion 1 of wheel H, in order that said gear P maybe made to operate upon anotherpart of the machine while the twisters are at rest. At right angles to the shaft M, and arranged under the side beams, S T, is a shaft, Q, which is journaled in suitable bearings, and is provided with an unmutilated bevelgear, R, of onehalf the diameter of the gear 1 and adapted to be engaged and rotated one revolution by the latter in a halfrevolution thereof. To the shaft Q are secured two eccentrics, ST, which are connected, respectively, to the sides of the rocking frame U below the trunnions V, in such manner that the frame U will be moved up to the position shown in Fig. 4, and then down to the position shown in Fig. 3, at one revolution of the eccentrics. Vith this construction, the steady, continuous rotation of shaft M by means of the band pulley 0 will operate the rocking frame and the twisters in turn. The rods U, connecting the eccentrics with the frame U, may be slotted in a wellknown manner at their connections with the latter, to allow the frame U to pause a moment when it reaches the position shown in Fig. 4, to give more time for placing apicket in the machine, if desired.

,To the shaft Q arealso secured two eccentrics, V V, arranged in the same relative position as the eccentrics S T, and having connecting-rods X, which are to be pivoted to suitable lugs on the under side of the slide D, for operating the latter. tive arrangement of the several eccentrics, the slide will be moved forward when the rocking frame is raised, and as the latter descends the slide will be drawn back to press and hold the picket in the crotches of the wires. Each picket, in its turn, is thus drawn "against the twists of the cables, forcing the latter back from the twisters to make room for another twist. By thus using the picket for drawing the wires from the spools,the exact movement of the slide will cause the twists to be perfectly uniform, while the wires will be made to embrace the picket closely on all sides,forming an even and compact web of fence. The web E is automatically wound on the spool- .ing shaftF by the following means: To one side of the frame-work at the rear of the machine is pivoted a lever, Y,.which may be in the form of a flat bar, and is arranged above one end of the shaft F in such manner that it IIO \Vith this relamay have a the shaft without coming in contact therewith. The lever is connected at its upper part to the lower part of one side of the rocking frame U by means of a chain or rope, Z, so that it will be lifted a given distance when the rocking frame is moved up to the position shown in Fig. 4.

To the upper end of the lever Y is attached a weight, D, which is adapted to draw the lever down when the rope Z is slackened by the downward movement of the rocking frame. The lever is provided with a spring-pressed pawl, E,which engages with a ratchet-wheel, F secured to the shaft F", so that the downward movement of the lever will impart a corresponding movement to the ratchet-wheel and shaft, for taking up any slack in the web. A pawl, G will prevent any backward movement of the ratchet-wheel. .lVith this construction the weight D is kept in a position for always acting on the spoofing-shaft at the moment the web is pressed back by the feeding in of a picket. At other times the shaft 1* is held by its pawl G and the weight is supported by the rocking frame. The weight should bejust sufficient to wind the web compactly on the shaft F without overcoming the action of the wire-tensioning devices at the front of the machine. A weight and lever may be arranged at each end of the shaft F, if desired; or any other arrangement for equalizing the action ofthe weight on the shaft may be employed. Instead of the weight D'-, its equivaleuta springmight be used. Such spring may be a clock-spring, with which the shaft F may be removably connected in any obvious manner, and which spring, as it is allowed to uncoil and rotate the shaft, is constantly rewound by a key connected to the rocking frame, or in other machines to any suitablymovable part.

The spooling-shaft F is provided with improved means for securing the web thereto, the same consisting of two sockets or holders for the ends of a picket. I prefer to secure one of these sockets or holders rigidly to the shaft, as at H while the other, 1 is made removable when the shaft is out of its bearings,

being formed, preferably, with a square opening, which fits over a square collar, J on the shaft to prevent its turning thereon. VVitll this construction, when the shaft is lifted out of its bearings, it can be readily withdrawn from the roll of fencing thereon.

In the hand-machine the shaft Q may be dispensed with and suitable longitudinal slots may be formed in the side beams, S T, in which a transverse shaft, K is to be arranged. The ends of this shaft are to project through the said beams and be connected to the sides of the rocking frame U below the trunnions V by means of connecting links or bars L in such manner that the rocking of frame U will cause the shaft K to move forward and backward in the slotted beams. This shaft is to be connected to the slide D by means of slotted given downward sweep toward links or bars M", as shown in Figs. 2 and T.

The slots in the links should be of such a length as to allow the shaft to give the exact movement to the slide that is required. In the hand-machine the rocking frame U may be provided with a weight, N having a cord, 0,

which passes over a pulley, P and is connected to the said frame above the trunnions V. This weight will act as a counter-weight to the weight D of the fence-spooling mechanism, causing an easy and steady movement f of the rocking frame when the latter is operated. Such counter-weights in the power-machine should be arranged to counterbalance the rocking frame against the twisters, so that the power shall pass evenly and smoothly from one to the other. Q is a cross-rod connecting the arms of the rocking frame, which may serve as a handle for operating the said frame in the hand-machine.

In Figs. 9 and 10 I have shown a picketfeeding device for the power-machine. One side of the rocking frame U below the trunnion V is extended and formed into a segmental rack, R which is adapted to pass under and engage a pinion, 8*, when the frame is rocked. This pinion is secured to a shaft, T, which is to be journaled in suitable bearings, U attached to the front of the machine, and which is provided with curved arms V adapted to receive a picket, and when moved up to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 9 to deposit the same behind the fingers of the slide D. The ends of the arms V are to be provided with holders for the picket, consistmetal, into into which holders the picket may be readily pressed; and the fingers of the slide D are to have projections, as shown in dotted lines, adapted to overlap the upper side of the picket when the slide is pressed back, and to hold the same while the arms V are being withdrawn.

What I claim is-- J 1. A wire -twister consisting of a smooth cylindrical body, on which it is adapted to rotate, having a longitudinal perforation near its periphery for holding one wire at a given distance from its center, and a longitudinal groove in its periphery opposite to the perforation for receiving and holding a removable wire at an equal distance from its center, substantially as shown and described.

ing of U-shaped projections formed of spring 2. A wire-twister consisting of a cylindrical body having a longitudinal perforation for holding one wire at a given distance from its center, and a longitudinal groove for receiving and holding a removable wire at an equal distance from its center, in combination with a bearing having an opening or slot with which the said groove may register, to receive the removable wire, substantially as shown and described.

3. A wire-twister consisting of a cylindrical body having a longitudinal perforation and groove therein, and means for holding a spool of wire on one end thereof, to allow the wire to be passed through said perforation, in combination with means for passing a removable wire in and out of engagement with said groove, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination of a suitable supporting-frame, a number of twisters having cylindri cal bodies, on which they may rotate, each provided with means for holding one wire and preventing it from being moved radially from the twister, and means for holding the other wire and permitting it to be moved radiall y from the twister, means for gearing the several twisters together, a movable carrier for passing the removable wires in and out of engagement with the twisters,- and tensioning devices for the wires, substantially as shown and described.

' 5. The combination of a number of twisters, each havinga cylindrical body provided with means for holding one wire and preventing it from being moved radially from the twister, and means for holding another wire and permitting it to be moved radially from the twister, a supporting frame having a slot oropening leading to each twister, means for gearing the several twisters together and for rotating or oscillating the same, a rocking frame for passing the removable wires in and out of engagement with the twisters, and tensioning devices for the wires, substantially as shown and described.

6. The combination of a number of twisters, each having means for holding one wire and preventing it from'being moved radially from the twister, and means for holding another wire and permitting it to be moved radially from the twister, a supporting frame, substantially as described, a rocking frame for passing the removable wires in and out of engagement with the twisters, and means for connecting the twisters and rocking frame together, whereby they may be operated in turn, substantially as specified.

7. The combination of a number of twisters, each having means for holding one wire and preventing it from being moved radially from the twister, and means for holding another wire and permitting it to be moved radially from the twister, a supporting-frame, a rocking frame for passing the removable wires in and out of engagement with the twisters, the mutilated gear A and means for gearing it with the twisters, the gear H, adapted to lock the gear A,'the shaft M, and mutilated gear 1?, the shaft Q, carrying the eccentrics S T and bevel'pinion It, and means for connecting the eccentrics with the rocking frame, substantially as shown and described.

8. The combination of the rocking frame, a transverse shaft connected to the said frame, and a transverse slide connected to the said shaft, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination of the twisters having passages for two series of wires, a series of spools carried by the twisters, the wires of which spools are passed through the twisters, a series of spools supported above the machine, and a rocking frame adapted to place the wires of said latter series of spools in and out of engagement with the twisters, and having tensioning devices for said wires, substantially as specified.

10. The rocking frame or lever for placing the removable wires in and out of engagement with the twisters, in combination with the slide for pressing the pickets back into position for being secured in the wires, and means for connecting the slide with the said rocking frame, and the web-spooling mechanism having a lever for rotating the same, and means for connecting said lever with the rocking frame, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

. 11. The combination, with the rocking frame or lever, of the slide for pressing the pickets back into position for being secured in the wires, and means for connecting the slide with the said rocking frame, and the web-spooling mechanism having a weighted lever, ratchetwheel, and pawls, and means for connecting said weighted lever with the rocking frame, substantially as shown and described, whereby the two said functions of adjusting the pickets and winding the web may be performed by operating the said rocking frame or lever, as set forth.

12. Thecombination, withtherockingframe or lever, of the web-spooling shaft having a ratchet-W11 eel thereon and a retaining-pawl for the same, the weighted lever having a pawl for rotating said shaft, and the connection Z, connecting the weighted lever to the said rocking frame or lever below the pivot of the latter, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

13. The fence'spooling shaft having a pick et-holding device provided with a removable or adjustable socketed piece for receiving one end of a picket, substantially as shown and described.

14. The fence-spooling shaft having a stationary collar provided with a socket for one end of a picket, and a removable collar hav ing a socket for the opposite end of the picket, and means for preventing the latter collar from rotating on the shaft, substantially as shown and described.

15. The combination, with the rocking frame having a segmental rack, of the picket-feeding device consisting of the oscillatory shaft having curved arms for holding a picket and a pinion adapted to be operated by the rack, and the slide having bent fingers adapted to receive and hold the picket, substantially as shown and described.

ALPHEUS G. LYNE.

Witnesses SoLoN G. Kmron, W. W. Hormneswon'rn. 

